Event planned

Commitment to Heiligenblut ski resort now from outside

For many, it is important to save the Heiligenblut ski resort.(Bild: Elisa Aschbacher)

Lower Austrians and Germans fight for ski resort with citizens' initiative and invite to round table.

It is Reinhard Mammerler from Lower Austria and Klaus Peter Trautmann from Germany who are behind the founding of the citizens' initiative "Bergbahnenrettung Heiligenblut", we reported. "We don't want to denounce anyone. We want to find a solution for the ski resort," they explain in an interview with the "Krone" newspaper. The interest group, which wants to keep the ski area open, consists of twelve members - mainly locals.

Klaus Peter Trautmann (left) and Reinhard Mammerler founded the citizens' initiative.(Bild: zVg)

What motivates Trautmann and Mammerler to fight for the highest ski area in Carinthia? "The love for this uniquely situated place. And I have built chalets here myself, Reinhard is currently building a vacation home," explains Trautmann and his colleague Mammerler adds: "We knew that Heiligenblut would need accommodation capacity and therefore started investing in 2012 - one of the reasons was the lifts."

The two describe the closure of the lifts on the Fleissalm planned by the mountain railroads as a "catastrophe". "It would be absurd not to find a solution. Other areas are giving up because they don't have enough snow. Heiligenblut has already been named one of the most beautiful ski resorts in the world, and what's more, it has guaranteed snow and a top location!"

The owners of the mountain railroads have also contacted us. They want to express their views, explain and have their say at the event.

Mammerler und Trautmann

The founders of the citizens' initiative are inviting people to a meeting in May - the exact date has not yet been set - and want to work on a plan. "With the mountain railroads, the state, the municipality and the local population. Everyone can come and get involved." A petition is to be launched at the end of April. The list will be available in businesses, supermarkets and petrol stations.